It was a problem last year. The Leafs got leads — plenty of them in fact — and then frittered many of them away. In fact, no team in the NHL lost more games (10) when leading after two periods last season than the Leafs.

It was an easy, compelling storyline, too. Promising team stocked with young players still learning to lock it down with the game on the line.

But this year, with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Co. all a year older and greybeards like Patrick Marleau and Ron Hainsey on board, it's not been a problem. That's what made the team's unraveling against Columbus on Monday night so surprising — it just hasn't happened.

The Leafs, who went 31-1-9 when leading after two periods last season, dropped to 15-1-1 after the 3-2 overtime defeat to the Blue Jackets.

“I don't think we've given up many leads to be honest with you,” Mike Babcock astutely pointed out afterward.

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